All the Way Back Down the Rabbit Hole
by eaglesgrl365
Summary: The Bloody Big Head was banished, now the White Queen is dead. Underland is in peril and so now its champion Alice must tumble down the rabbit hole again.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: The Bloody Big Head was banished, now the White Queen is dead. Underland is in peril and so now its champion Alice must tumble down the rabbit hole again.

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_"You could stay." The Hatter said in a quiet tone from behind Alice._

_"What an Idea, a crazy, mad, wonderful Idea" She replied with a smile, that faded quickly into a look of regret "but I can't. There are questions I have to answer, things I have to do." She said this before pouring the contents of the glass vial at hand into her mouth, swallowing the blood of the Jabberwocky._

_"I'll be back again before you know it."_

_"You won't remember me"_

_"Of course I will. How could I forget?" The look of sadness on the Hatter's face tore into Alice, making her wish for the moment to last longer and making her to pray that she_ would_ remember her friend. "Hatter, why _is_ a raven like a writing desk?" She asked the question that had come up in conversation many times over the past days._

_"I haven't the slightest idea." He replied with a smile gracing his lips. "Fairfarren Alice," And with that her vision blurred, her last view in Wonderland was of the solemn Tarrant's face_

**FIVE YEARS LATER**

"Don't worry Alice; you'll be back in China before you know it." But no matter how much she told herself this lie she could never believe that she would be home fast enough. The dinner that she was being forced through at Lord Ascot's home was proof enough of this. After countless awkward silences and strange looks from his soon Lord Ascot decided that it be best that they take their company to the parlor where her mother, sister, brother-in-law and the Ascot family were taking drinks and engaging in small conversation. It was then that Alice dismissed herself to the gardens. It was in these gardens years ago that Alice had disappeared to Underland, or as she thought it, Wonderland.

She was wandering idly, not quite worried about where she was going or how she would get back, but instead she was dreaming to herself about her few days as the Champion or Marmoreal and of her friends Mally the dormouse, Chess the smiling cat, Thackery the March Hare, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Absolem the blue caterpillar, but most of all the Hatter, she missed Tarrant the Hatter most dearly.

So as she wandered through the gardens, remembering the talking flowers of Underland and the gardens in the castles of the Red and White Queen's she didn't realize she was being followed by not only one, but two beings. In her defense, one was much more obvious than the other. While one presence demanded attention, the other lurked in the shadows and bid its time.

A throat being cleared behind her back alerted Alice to her one follower, Hamish. "I wouldn't want you to lose your way in this maze of a place." He said in his nasal voice that irritated Alice.

"Hamish, isn't your fiancé expecting you? You shouldn't want to keep her waiting."

"Well of course I should escort you back to your family before I would leave you alone. It will be dark soon and you wouldn't do well alone amidst these trees and thorns for a night." Hamish told her grasping at Alice's hand. She recoiled and venomously exclaimed "As I said _Lord_ Hamish you shouldn't leave your wife-to-be waiting for you. I will be fine here _alone._" With this she stomped off, trying her best to be lost to Hamish between the thick lines of shrubbery.

A rustle in the bushes to her left had Alice backing up into a rather thick line of roses, the thorns tearing into her dress and leaving scratches up her bare arms. "I think I've made it quite clear Hamish that I am not interested in spending any unnecessary time in your presence. I don't mean to be rude but you leave me no choice." The rustling proceeded, but instead of Hamish a white rabbit appeared out of the shrubbery. This wouldn't have been so unusual had the rabbit not been fully dressed and pointing with urgency at a pocket watch clutched in his paw.

"McTwisp!" Alice exclaimed instantaneously recognizing her friend. He came further out of the bushed and looked pointedly at his watch one last time before dashing off, leaving it to Alice to follow him to the rabbit hole under a great oak. Alice didn't hesitate to jump into the dark hole, feeling invigorated as she flew downward, but this time she was prepared for the hard landing, still she forgot that she would be upside down when she finally landed, and so she fell face first to the floor.

It was all easy now, she placed the key on the floor before taking a swig of the vile tasting shrinking potion and felt after she shrunk down to the size of a child's doll she followed McTwisp to the small door, the click of a lock and the streaming of sunlight into the small room.

"I'm here." Alice said quietly to herself. "I'm home."

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Okay everybody… how'd you like the first chapter? I rented the movie on video on demand last night and have watched it five times since (working on six right now) and decided that I just had to write about Alice's return to Underland. So here it is! I Hope you liked it and I love every review I get so please please please review my work. Tell me anything you think I can do better, I take all your criticism seriously. Thanks so much for reading :)

p.s. Wow this seems alot shorter than it appeared to be before I posted it... sorry ;)


	2. Chapter 2

Alice stepped slowly into the open; into Underland. She looked around with new eyes, scanning every surface and refreshing all her memories of this place. It was beautiful.

"I understand that you will want your time to readjust, but there_ is_ a reason I was sent to retrieve you, you know." McTwisp intruded into Alice's thoughts. He handed her a small piece of what appeared to be normal cake, but she knew better and took a small bite, gradually growing back into the long dress she was pulling around with her.

"Of course, it's just so good to be here again." She replied looking around once more.

"Hello Child," A familiar lazy voice came from behind Alice, the voice of Chess. His head was visible, floating at the height of Alice's shoulder with a wide grin pulling at his thin lips. His electric blue stripes shone brightly against his otherwise silver hair.

"Chessur," Alice exclaimed. "Do _you_ have any idea why I'm here?"

"Ah, yes. The purpose of your visit, I'm afraid, involves more politics in which I do not wish to find myself implicated." Chess answered vaguely, glancing at McTwisp whom was twitching with impatience. "Why don't you, my friend, make your way to the castle and inform them that our champion has returned." Chess purred to McTwisp. "_I_ will escort Miss Alice, if she is indeed still a Miss, to the Hatter."

"If I'm still a Miss?" Alice asked in confusion. Even for Alice it was an odd thing for Chess to say.

"Well I assume that there are many male suitors in _your_ world interested in such a pretty young woman." Chess purred his compliments with a never changing grin that simultaneously calmed and frightened Alice as she informed him that she was indeed still a Miss.

"Well then, let us be on our way. You will know where to find her, yes?" He asked the Rabbit, still waiting impatiently to be on his way, but not staying in time to hear an answer before he was floating down a rough wooded path in the direction of the Hatters home. And then it hit her, _I'm going to see Hatter!_ The thought brought an immediate smile to Alice's lips and put a skip in her step as she hurried to follow the quickly fading cat.

"We should be there soon," Chess called back to Alice after walking a long way. "Perhaps I will be invited for tea." He mused to himself.

The sound of laughter echoed from ahead, and Alice couldn't help but dash toward the familiar sounds. Finally she reached the clearing, but it was something from a much earlier memory than she'd expected. The same long row of tables sat covered in cakes and pastries and colorful teacups and pots. It was just like the vague memory Alice had of her childhood here. Seated at the table were Mallymkun the dormouse always armed with her tiny sword, Thackery the March Hare, and seated at the end of the table was Hatter, a cup of tea frozen halfway to his mouth.

"Alice?" He asked, his voice sounding small. Alice couldn't reply but her smile was wide and she held her breath as she waited for her friend's reaction. "Alice is it really you?" Hatter's bright green eyes were wide, never leaving Alice's face.

"Well I hope so, or else I am really rather insane." Alice replied. "But of course if I am not indeed Alice then I shall never tell you how a raven is like a writing desk, and in that case this Alice we speak of would not have kept her promise to you. She did tell you she'd return, didn't she?"

A wide toothy grin spread across Tarrant's face and he swiftly jumped atop the table at which he was seated, making his way across, barely avoiding the many dishes and desserts spread across their tops. "I knew you would come back Alice. But do you really know the answer to my riddle my dear Alice? Do you know why a raven is like a writing desk?"

"I haven't the slightest idea."

The hatter grabbed onto Alice, pulling her into a great hug. "And you're not too small or too tall!" Hatter exclaimed excitedly, and in a quieter more private tone "You're perfect."

"But Hatter, do you know why I've been brought here? No one will give me an answer." She asked glancing back to see Chess, sitting at the long row of tables holding a cup of tea.

The smile that seemed as if it could be permanently etched into Hatter's face was suddenly gone, and he held her away from him so that he may look her in the eye. "They haven't told you?" He was quiet again, his big eyes looking downcast and wet as if Hatter were to be brought to tears by the subject. "I thought for sure you would know already _why_ you are here." All Alice could do was shake her head, more confused than ever. Why did Hatter look so sad?

"The white queen is dead." Hatter said quietly, as if to himself. "We need our champion, because our queen is dead."

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Another short chapter… sorry! I was still in the mood to write after I posted the first chapter so now its past 1:30 in the morning and I'm STILL writing. Anyways I hope you liked the chapter even though it was pretty short and not my best writing. I would love to hear what you think so write a quick review :) Thanks for reading!


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